Charles schwartz



10 treating vegetable fibers,

'45 the textile industry,

TED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES. SCHWARTZ, OF YILLEURBANNE, FRANCE, ASSIGN'OR TO SOCIETE GILLET 8t FILS, OF LYON, REZONE, FRANCE, A CORPORATION OF FRANCE.

PROCESS'FOR THE TREATMENT VEGETABLE FIBERS.

ras acw.

No Drawing.

T 0 all whom'it may canoe 1m:

Be it known that 1, CHARL S SCH ARTZ, a citizen of the Republic of France and a resident of Villeurbanne, Department of 5 Rhone, France, have invented a new and useful Process for the Treatment of Vegetable Fibers, of which the following is a specification- This invention relates to a 'process for with a view more especially to imparting to them the character of wool, both physically, as to feel, appearance and'caloric quality, and chemically, as regards affinity and absorbent capacity for dyestuffs.

In my prior patent applications Nos. 343,- 576 and 343,577 of even date herewith, I have described certain processes for treating vegetable fibers of all kinds and in all forms, designed to impart to these fibers the character of wool; the said processes consist in precipitating upon these fibersthe products resulting from the action of concentrated nitric acid, preferably of a concentration equal to or cent., upon cellulose or cellulosic compounds in the one case and starch or amylaceous substances in the other case, this precipitation being effected either by washing with water or by treatment with dilute solutions of acids, bases or salts, followed by washing with water.

It has now been found that the wool-character can also be imparted to vegetablefibers by treating them at the ordinary temperature with concentrated nitricacid, preferably of a concentration equal to or. higher than 65 per cent., and removing-the acid by washing; 40

' etable fibers of all kinds and in all forms, and the raw state or bleached, and whether mercerized or not, at any state whatever in the operations to which they are subjected in and whether they are in the mass, or in the state of lap, cops, cardends, twistings. yarns or fabrics.

There is produced by this treatment, without however arriving at the same results as those obtained by the processes described in my above mentioned patent applications, a considerable improvement of the vegetable fibers, while obtaining a great simplification in the method of operation; on the other higher than 65 per This process is likewise applicable to veg-.

Specification of Letters Patent. Iatented July 12, 1921 Application filed December 9, 1919. Serial No.'343,578. f

'hand this treatment communicates to the vegetable fibers the character of wool to a degree at least equal to that acquired in the Heberlein process, consisting in passing the fabrics, previously mercerized -in alkali, into strong sulfuric acid.

The process of this invention presents the following advantages: the time of immersion is not very definitely limited, and the structure of the fabric remains unchanged during the operation; thetextile remains strong and may be pressed out at once and washed, contrary to whatis the case in the Heberlein process mentioned above, wherein the reaction is limited ,to some seconds and cannot be extended without serious drawbacks. Moreover if the fabric is Inerceri zed in alkali and treated with sulfuric acid, it gives rise to a gelatinous mass which cannot be pressed out without being damaged. -It is' to be noted that the fabric treated according to the process forming the subject of the present application is closer in texture and more fieecy than in the case of. the sulfuric acid process; lastly, contrary to what happens in the latter case, the weight of the textile is not only undiminished, but presents an increase by reason of the absorption of nitrogen. i

.The process according to this invention offers the further advantage of allowing the complete recovery of the nitric acid employed.

This process may be utilized .to produce print-effects upon fabrics, either by direct means or by the use of reserves.

' The process of the invention may be carried out inthe following manner 2- The textile material, in the form of fab-- ric, or yarn for example, is steeped in a I which it floats. freely without any tension, until the reaction is terminated; then it is large excess of concentrated nitric acid, in

squeezed or dried out and washed. The timeof contact depends upon the concentration of the acid and'the quality of the textile material, especially its porosity and absorbent capacity. 'For example, one minute will be sufficient soakingfor ordinary plain fabrics, in 75 per cent. nitric acid; two minutes for ordinar calicoes in 7 2 per cent. acid; five minutes or fine Egyptian-cotton batistes in 65 per cent. acid. I g

This treatment in nitric acid may be prolonged to five, ten or thirty minutes respectively, Without harm as to the final refault, on condition that the temperature does not exceed (1.; this'fact is ofgreat; im-v portanceln manufaqture on a large-scale,

Where it is always necessary to take'account of. the possibility of stoppages or other causes bringing the apparatusito' a stand still for atime. v V

F or-practical reasons, the temperature of the acid is maintained at a comparatively low temperature, in particularto avoid "the. evolution of acid vapors, but it is. possible to reach C. without riskto the material under treatment. J With. nitric acid of a concentration between 65 per cent. and 75 percent, it is.

possible Without inconvenience and at the ordinary temperature, to allow the action ofthenitric acid upon thelfiber to be ;pro-

longed. When on the other hand this con cen'tration-limit of 7 5 per cent.: is exceeded,

itis necessary to insure that' the nitric acid acts upon thefiber only for a very short time, some few minutes'for example, this time varying; inversely in proportion to the concentration of the'acid. I

Having nowparticularly described and ascertained the nature-of mysaicl'invention' and in what manner same is to be formed, I declare What I claim is:

1. A process'for the treatment of vegetable fibers with a vieW- to impart to them perthecharacter-of Wool, both physically, as.

to feehappearance and .calorie'q'uality, and chemically, as regards their-'afiinity and ab- 'thecharacter of ool, both physically, as to feel, appearance andcaloric qualityt 'and "'sorbentcapa'city for dyestuffs, said process chemically, as regards their afiinity and ab- V sorbent capacity for dyestuffsfthis". process consisting in treating these fibers at theop dinary temperature-with; nitric" ai'dbf aconcentration of at least 65%,,and in removing theacid by Washing. t

name to this specification.

PHILIPPE DESGRANGES, ADoLrHE BoHN'.

In testimony'whereo-f I'havesign ed my p I CHARLES SCHWARTZ. Witnesses: I 

